Court stops subpoenaed EFCC’s witnesses from testifying against Emefiele
Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court, Maitama, on Thursday stopped the prosecution from calling three subpoenaed witnesses to testify in the ongoing trial of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Mr Emefiele is being prosecuted by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF) for alleged abuse of office, corruption and fraud.
At the resumed hearing of the case, the judge ruled on the oral application made by the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, on the subpoenaed witnesses.
Mr Muazu held that the name of the two witnesses, Tommy Odama and Ifeanyi Omeke, were earlier struck out.
He said that the names of the witnesses were contained in his ruling of March 20 which struck out the prosecution’s additional proof of evidence in the case.
The judge held that the ruling was now a subject of appeal filed by the prosecution and pending before the Court of Appeal.
He said that the court could not change its own ruling by allowing the subpoenaed witnesses to testify in the case.
The judge held that the prosecution should wait for the decision of the appellate court with regards to the witnesses.
Muazu also ruled on the objection of the eligibility of the 11th prosecution witness (3rd witness), Alvan Grumman, raised by the counsel for Mr Emefiele, Matthew Burkaa, SAN, at the October 22 sitting.
The judge held that having struck out the prosecution’s additional proof of evidence in the March 20 ruling, it was only right to wait for the outcome of the appeal.
He held, “The court cannot allow the witness to testify though his name was not specifically mentioned in the said additional proof of evidence. The prosecution should rather wait for the decision of the appellate court to know if the witness is eligible to testify.”
He subsequently adjourned the case until January 29, 2026 for continuation of hearing.
In the amended 20-count charge marked FCT/HC/CR/577/2023, the former CBN governor is accused of criminal breach of trust.
He is also charged with conferring corrupt advantage, forgery, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence and obtaining money by false pretence.
Mr Emefiele was alleged to have, among others, used his position as CBN governor to award six different contracts for the supply of different vehicles.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to all counts when the charge was read to him.
(NAN)
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